Display device and method of fabricating the same

Abstract

A constitution of the display device of the invention is shown in the following. The display device includes a pixel unit including TFTs of which the active layer contains an organic semiconductor material for forming channel portions in the opening portions in an insulating layer arranged to meet the gale electrodes. The pixel unit further includes a contrast media formed on the electrodes connected to the TFTs for changing the reflectivity upon the application of an electric field, or microcapsules containing electrically charged particles that change the reflectivity upon the application of an electric field. The pixel unit is sandwiched by plastic substrates, and barrier layers including an inorganic insulating material are provided between the plastic substrates and the pixel unit. The purpose of the present invention is to supply display devices which are excellent in productivity, light in weight and flexible.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A display device comprising:
 a barrier layer over a substrate; 
 a transistor over the barrier layer; 
 a pixel electrode electrically connected to the transistor; 
 a partitioning layer over the pixel electrode; and 
 an electronic ink layer over the pixel electrode, 
 wherein the barrier layer comprises nitrogen. 
 
     
     
       2. The display device according to  claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises polyimide. 
     
     
       3. The display device according to  claim 1 , wherein the transistor comprises an organic semiconductor material in a channel portion. 
     
     
       4. The display device according to  claim 1 , wherein the barrier layer comprises AlO x N 1-x  where x=0.01 to 0.2. 
     
     
       5. The display device according to  claim 1 , wherein the barrier layer comprises silicon nitride. 
     
     
       6. The display device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the electronic ink layer comprises a first particle of a first color that is positively charged and a second particle of a second color that is negatively charged, and 
 wherein the first particle and the second particle are dispersed in a solvent contained in a microcapsule. 
 
     
     
       7. The display device according to  claim 1 , wherein the partitioning layer covers an edge portion of the pixel electrode. 
     
     
       8. A display device comprising:
 a barrier layer over a substrate; 
 a transistor over the barrier layer; 
 a pixel electrode electrically connected to the transistor; 
 a partitioning layer over the pixel electrode; and 
 an electronic ink layer over the pixel electrode, 
 wherein the barrier layer comprises nitrogen and aluminum. 
 
     
     
       9. The display device according to  claim 8 , wherein the substrate comprises polyimide. 
     
     
       10. The display device according to  claim 8 , wherein the transistor comprises an organic semiconductor material in a channel portion. 
     
     
       11. The display device according to  claim 8 , wherein the barrier layer comprises AlO x N 1-x  where x=0.01 to 0.2. 
     
     
       12. The display device according to  claim 8 ,
 wherein the electronic ink layer comprises a first particle of a first color that is positively charged and a second particle of a second color that is negatively charged, and 
 wherein the first particle and the second particle are dispersed in a solvent contained in a microcapsule. 
 
     
     
       13. The display device according to  claim 8 , wherein the partitioning layer covers an edge portion of the pixel electrode. 
     
     
       14. A display device comprising:
 a barrier layer over a flexible substrate; 
 a transistor over the barrier layer; 
 a pixel electrode electrically connected to the transistor; 
 a partitioning layer over the pixel electrode; and 
 an electronic ink layer over the pixel electrode, 
 wherein the barrier layer comprises nitrogen and aluminum. 
 
     
     
       15. The display device according to  claim 14 , wherein the flexible substrate comprises polyimide. 
     
     
       16. The display device according to  claim 14 , wherein the transistor comprises an organic semiconductor material in a channel portion. 
     
     
       17. The display device according to  claim 14 , wherein the barrier layer comprises AlO x N 1-x  where x=0.01 to 0.2. 
     
     
       18. The display device according to  claim 14 ,
 wherein the electronic ink layer comprises a first particle of a first color that is positively charged and a second particle of a second color that is negatively charged, and 
 wherein the first particle and the second particle are dispersed in a solvent contained in a microcapsule. 
 
     
     
       19. The display device according to  claim 14 , wherein the partitioning layer covers an edge portion of the pixel electrode. 
     
     
       20. A display device comprising:
 a barrier layer over a substrate; 
 a gate electrode over the barrier layer; 
 a semiconductor layer over the gate electrode; 
 a source and drain electrodes over the semiconductor layer; 
 a pixel electrode over the source and drain electrodes; and 
 an electronic ink layer over the pixel electrode, 
 wherein the barrier layer comprises nitrogen. 
 
     
     
       21. The display device according to  claim 20 , wherein the substrate comprises polyimide. 
     
     
       22. The display device according to  claim 20 , wherein the semiconductor layer comprises an organic material. 
     
     
       23. The display device according to  claim 20 , wherein the barrier layer comprises silicon nitride. 
     
     
       24. The display device according to  claim 20 ,
 wherein the electronic ink layer comprises a first particle of a first color that is positively charged and a second particle of a second color that is negatively charged, and 
 wherein the first particle and the second particle are dispersed in a solvent contained in a microcapsule.